Spakk-plttg



H. E. COURSON.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FlLEn MAY 19. |919.

1,361,688, Patent@ Dee. 7,1920.

gwuamtoz HARRY E. COUBS'DN', 0F DEWAR, OKLAHOMA.

SPARK-PLUG.

Application filed May 19, 1919.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known'that I, HARRY E. CoUnsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dewar, in the county 0f Okmulgee and State of klahoma, haveinvented new and useful improvements in Spark-Plugs, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to spaik plugs particularly designed for ignitingexplosive gases or charges in internal cumbustion engines, and oneobject of the same is to provide a novel form of divided electrodeadapted to produce multiple spark gaps, and also to reduce the tendencyof carbon to accumulate and be retained on the electrode to a minimumby'agitating and intensifying the electric current traversing parts ofthe divided electrode and thereby forming vicious sparks that willburnout the car bon adjacent to and in the gaps and whereby theelectrode will be maintained in good working Order with obviousadvantages in the explosion of the gases within a cylinder of acombustion engine. A further object of the invention is to provide adivided electrode of such form and disposition of parts that theelectric current will regularly follow the components thereof as thecourse of least resistance and be prevented from being deflected to anadjacent conducting part of the spark plug and thereby effect asuccession or multiplicity of sparks of gradually increasing intensitywith material advantages in the general operation of the spark plug andthe automatic maintenance thereof in a comparatively cleanly condition.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve theconstruction of spark plugs and avoid therein the formation of cavitiesor recesses as far as practicable in the parts thereof exposed t0 theinterior of a combustion cylinder or chamber and also to render devicesof this class more efficient and certain in their service as ignitionmeans relatively to confined gas charges.

lWith these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the severalparts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, andcapable of modification in the proportions, dimensions and details ofconstruction within the scope of the claims.

ln the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spark Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1920.

Serial No. 298,124.

plug embodying the features of the invenion.

F ig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the plug. t

vl" ig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the plug.

rl`he numeral 5 designates the core of the plug which is preferablyformed of porcelain and has a bore 6 extending centrally therethroughand, as usual, is provided with a lower and enlarged end 7 formed with ashoulder as at 8 where it intersects the main body of the core. rllhelower enlarged end 7 is formed with a central recess or socket 9 intowhich opens the bore 6, the upper extremity of the core 5 being taperedas at 10. Fitted over the core 5 is a steel hexagonal body or attachingbase 11 of tubular form for easy application over the said core, andformed with a lower reduced exteriorly scrcw-threadedV extremity 12having an inwardly and upwardly beveled edge 13, the upper end of thebody or base 11 being formed with an annular recess 141. The lowerbeveled edge 13 of the body or base 11 is normally adjacent to andalines with the shoulder 8 provided by the lower enlarged extremity 7and the core 5, a copper and asbestos gasket 15 being introduced between the said lower end of the body or base and the shoulder 8. On theupper tapered extremity 10 of the core 5 a frusto-conical porcelainsleeve 16 is applied and has its lower end fitted in the annular recess14C at the upper end of the body or base 11, and when the parts areassembled the upper end of the sleeve 16 practically coincides with theupper end of the core. Inserted through the core 5 is an electrode 17having a lower flange 18 to fit against the upper annular end wall ofthe recess, 9, and from the center of the said electrode a pin 19projects and provides a spark terminal. The upper extremity of theelectrode 17 is screw threaded a suitable distance as at 20 and afterthis electrode has been inserted through the core 5, a washer 21 havinga peripheral tial/ige 22 is applied thereover so that the flangesurrounds and fully embraces the upper end of the sleeve 16, a springwasher 23 and nuts 24: and 25 being applied to the upper portion of theelectrode to tightly assemble the parts and to provide means forattaching an electric wire which is held in place by the usual form ofbinding screw 26.

One of the most essential features of the improved structure is theprovision of a plurality of conductors 27,2S,2'9 and 30,practi cally ofT-shape form or each having a shank 81 fixed within the enlargement 7 atthe lower end of the porcelain core 5, and also all provided withT-heads, the head cli the conductor 27 being longer than the remain'-ing heads and having its outer end adjacent to a :groiinding pin orconductor 32 partially embedded in the enlargement 7 and engaging thelower screw threaded extremity 12 of the body or base 11. The heads 'ofall `of the conductors 27, 28, 29 and 3() are bent in arcuate form :anddisposed in volute arrangement, the conductor 3.0 having its head bentinto an abrupt curved form so that one end thereofrwill be adjacent tofor yform a gap in relation to the pin 19 at the lower end of theIelectrode 17. Between the 'ends of the heads of the conductors 27 to30, inclusive, spark gaps 33 are formed land by means of the volutearrangement or disposition of the heads o these conductors they providea means of least resistance to Iencourage the current to traverse thesame without liability of jumping from the conductors to an adjacentconducting member. In fact, the intel-position 'of Athe enlargement 7which is of non-conducting material, between these conductors 27 to 30,inclusive, and the nearest con-ducting metal component oi? the sparkplug will insure a 'traverse fof the -current relative to the saidconductors land the production of a multiplicity lof sparks by means ofthe successive gaps and thereby the sparks are regularly intensiied fromthe first conductor 27 to the last conductor 30 of the series, onaccount of the resistance caused to the free course of t-l'ie current bythe added spark gaps Land between the conductor 30 and the pin 19 willbe the greatest in its strength or explosive eiiiciency. The ends 34 ofthe conductors 27 to 30 are also bent outwardly at right angles toproduce large or broad sparking surtaces at the gaps `and thus yincreasethe size of the sparks. having the plurality of gaps and a certainty in.the traverse of the current through the several conductors, the carboncr other deposits on the endof the spark plug or the enlargement 7adjacent to the gaps between these conductors and in the gaps will beburned out and as a consequence the active end of the spark plug within1'the combustion cylinder or chamber will be automatically maintained ina comparatively cleanly condition and require less attention and repairthan is the case in ordinary forms of spark plugs.

It is to be understood that in applying the improved plug "to acylinder, the screwthreaded extremity 12 is secured, as usual, in thecylinder head and the conductors "forming the divided electrode and thepin 19 of the main electrode 17 will be exposed within the cylinder.

The core 5 of porcelain or other analogous non-conducting material isfully inclosed by the sleeve 16 and attaching base 11 and isconsequently shielded or protected against breakage by being struck by awrench or other tool during removal of adjacently located plugs, itbeing apparent that the said sleeve might be broken or fractured withoutinjury to the core and the perfect working order of the plug.

The improved plug will be 'found partic ular-ly advantageous in creatingmore power in the explosion of the gas in the cylinder for the reason ofthe intensifying lof the sparks and the virtual formation oi a ball oflire on the pin i9 at the end of the electrode 17.

l claim- 1. ln a spark plug, a. central electrode having a termina-lpin, an insulating element in which the said electrode mounted and atthe lower end or which the said pin is exposed, and a uhirality ci'conductors arranged in volute iorin in the lower end of the insulatingelement and trending inwardly from the `outer portion of the 'lace ofthe said element and the conductor closest to the center of the elementhaving a decided vinward bend radially with relation to the pin,andproviding a divided electrode with 'a 'multiplicity of spark gaps,the one conductor having its one end directed inwardly 'to form a sparkgapwith the said pin, a l'grounding device forming a spar-k gap with theoutermost of the said conductors.

2. Aspark plug having a central electrode with a pin, having `avertically straight termin'al, 'and a plurality of conductors arranged'in volute form around the pin, the innermost conductor having oneextremity inwardly deflected toward 'the pin, the conductors forming amultiplicity oit spark gaps, the 'conductors being insulated from theelectrode and its pin. y3. A spark plug comprising a plug with a boretherethrough and having a lower enlarged extremity, an electrodeextending through the plug and having a pin at its lower f'end with anexposed straight terminal at the center of the lower enlarged extremityVof the plug, a plurality of conductors mounted in the lower enlarged'extremity of the plug and Varranged to trend inwardly from a pointadjacent to the periphery of the face of the plug in volute form towardthe central pin of the electrode, the conductor closest to the pinhaving an inner bent extremity directed toward the pin, the conductorsprovid-ing a divided electrode with a multiplicity of spark gaps, aground connecting device being provided to form a spark gap with theoutermost of the said conductors.

4. A spark plug comprising an insulating plug` member having a boretherethrough and a lower enlarged end and upper tapered extremity, aconnecting base of metal litted over the lower portion of the plug andhaving a lower screw threaded extremity for attaching purposes, a copperand asbestos washer inserted between the lower end of the said base andthe enlargement of the plug, an electrode extending through the centerof the plug member and having a lower pin with an exposed straightterminal at the lower portion of the enlargement of said member, aplurality of conductors held within the enlargement oi the plug memberand arranged in volute form to extend from the outer portion of the faceof said member inwardly toward the Center so that the last conductorwill provide a spark gap with the said pin, the conductors providing aplurality of spark gaps, a ground connection cooperating with theoutermost of the oonduetors, an insulating sleeve fitted over the uppertapered extremity of the plu member and extending into the upper en of'the connecting base, and means for securing the sleeve and base inposition and connecting all of the parts of the plug in operativerelation.

5. A spark plug having a Central electrode pin and a plurality ofconductors insulated from and arranged in volute form around the pin andprovided with outwardly projeeting angular ends exposed to form amultiplicity of extended spark gap surfaces.

6. A spark plug having a central electrode with an exposed insulated pinhaving a straight terminal, and a plurality of oonduetors insulated fromand arranged in volute form around the pin from an outer terminalconductor separated a maximum distance from the pin inwardly toward thelatter.

7. A spark plug having a central electrode with an insulated exposedcentral pin, and a plurality of conductors insulated from and arrangedin volute form around the -pin from an outer terminal conductorseparated a maximum distance Jfrom the pin inwardly toward the latter.

ln testimony whereof i have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HARRY E. COURSON. Witnesses W. C. BRATY, S. A., HAMIL.

